(2004) Consilium - Venus in Converse

[Abacus]

A middling, lukewarm response met with the fangs of the vicariously vindicated. He set the bar low on purpose so that the others could feel empowered to stick their necks out. The admonishment was expected because perfection was impossible in the halls of the self-righteous.


And that is exactly what he wanted.


And now that he thought about it some more, Abacus came to realize that that is what their problem was. Arguments, for them, were the edicts of their very being spoken aloud. One could never simply entertain a thought and divorce it from their Awakened virtues. It is always an opinion that you stake your life upon and when you are just that full of yourself, you can justify calling yourself a god amongst mortals. For the Shaman would be ripped asunder by an even greater Beast; the Warlock made a Martyr nailed to a cross of his own making.


Clinging to the Awakened Self is what kept them alive.


He cleared his throat.


“Well said. Truly.”

They would think him a bureaucrat simply because he didn’t ask for Winter’s head on a spike. And if met with such slander, he would remind them of his Order, and call them fools for thinking him one of the Ladder.


Abacus had learned how to kill his darlings. He staked his life on his ability to contemplate. He could wield whatever argument he wished, call down whatever Fallen philosophy he fancied because Fate and Time took care of the rest.


All he had to do was nudge.


And now it came to a vote! How could he not smile? Did Socrates ever feel this alive when met with dialectical peril?


“You have my vote for Incarceration. No furlough. No visitors.”

But he wasn’t sure if “house arrest” was the wisest move. If anything, Winter should be confined to the Circle where can be monitored. Reliably. He also wasn’t keen on the defendant giving suggestions for this punishment. Councilor or not. Surely, he didn't think they were that stupid?

[Kaze]

Kaze watched the Councilors taking a vote right on the spot to decide Winter's sentence. Campanella didn't look too good either. Kaze breathed in and out, slowly releasing tension and impatience. It was going to take as long as it was going to take. Whatever else happened first would happen first. It was all good.

He suddenly hoped they wouldn't decide to incarcerate Kaze with Winter for convenience sake, and then had to go through his whole relaxing routine all over again. It was fine. It only felt like it was taking forever. It wasn't going to be forever really, and then he would take it as it comes. Whatever happens, 'All things worked together for the Good....'.

[Pixel]

"I don't know the details either."

He didn't look up from his position, but he had no issue listening as words were exchanged. Part of him was embarrassed to be corrected in public, but he also recognized he genuinely didn't care about the customs of the duel arcane. The Lex and Tet were clear and enforceable, but the duello was a custom set apart from the Lex. A custom the Free Councilor thought was about as fair as a caveman with a rock saying he knew best. Sure, some like Star proved it could be virtuous, but Winter proved it could be just another tool for the Diamond to say it knew best.

"But Shodan's wisdom is proven by the dishonest practices of his adversary. We have a unanimous vote for incarceration, with two voting for three months. The sentence is set for a three month imprisonment here at the Circle. No visitors except the council and no furlough to leave his cell. The sentence will start on May first and last through July thirty first."

Pixel looked up from his position, enduring the pain to scan the crowd for Kaze.

"Moving on to the sentence of magus Kaze. You will be imprisoned for one month under the supervision of the Arrow. Only the Council and members of the Arrow will be permitted to visit you, but you have been granted a furlough* we will detail when you report for incarceration. You will also both be granted leave to attend concilium at your discretion."

He takes a breath, slowly easing upright again before finishing.

"Finally magus Shodan has been sentenced to a Major Penance. Should he return he will be doing community service to clean and restore the Circle of Creation."

*

I'm honestly unsure how to translate that Kaze specifically gets 1 plot and 1 social scene in strictly IC terms so I'm pushing that off screen for ease. Sorry for cutting corners, but this seemed the most opportune moment to get all the sentences off the agenda.

[Star]

Is Camper the missing piece?

Winter had accused the angel of knowing. As if he'd told him. But he hadn't. It was baffling... unless Winter had told someone and just forgotten who. And through the whole discussion? There's only Camper's silence. But, hey. Maybe that's just conspiracy theory talking. Just as plausible? The former Hierarch's upset this happened on his watch.

Looking for approval?

Winter's searching gaze gets a subtle shake of his head. It's clear he's trying to play the precedent game. It's the second time in a row. Guy probably sees himself as some divine martyr. But here's the problem. He's getting punished for Lying.

The answer isn't to Lie some more.

The fact that Winter is even trying that means he's missed the entire point. Fair. A lot of people do. Most Guardians do. Ever check recidivism rates of any criminal justice system? Harsher sentencing isn't a cure. The only thing harsher sentencing ever accomplished was increased institutionalization rates. Winter was the judge that had forgotten the purpose of punishment. It wasn't to abuse the wicked. It was to protect the innocent. Punishment was a means... not the end. His Intervallutrix got that. Heck, even Faux Hawk got it.

But Winter doesn't get it.

They aren't meant to drag them down. They're meant to lift them up. And when you confuse the two?

A guy like Kaze gets locked up.

[Tyche]

Tyche remained where she was as the votes ticked by, Winter agreeing for incarceration, though his motives were suspect. Abacus changed his tune to accommodate the Council - and Winter.

Noted.

Then there was a twitch as Pixel took the opportunity to snub the Guardians by granting the task of carrying out the sentence of Kaze to the Arrow. Respect to Pheonyx and whatever, but the kiss-me eyes and constant glances between the pair made it clear she was too close to Kaze to be an effective warden. Plus, y'know, Arrows were soldiers. The Guardians were not merely spies, they were wardens and often used as such. People might hate the Guardians for being what they were, but there was a reason they were left to do what they do. Plainly? Two Guardians just brought the sins of one of their own to the Council's attention. And they were being replaced by what? A crush?

Needless to say, the blank numbness of the Enchanter was quickly replaced with a look that spoke clearly to her internal screaming.

Leave it to a Libertine to game the system.

As if knowing how it could look, Tyche swiftly looks away before she shifts in her seat and fumbles in her pockets for a source of comfort, that wasn't there. Retrieving an empty cigarette pack, the Enchanter looked into its cavity with clear frustration. She didn't smoke often, but now and then? It was sometimes needed to chill the nerves, especially when booze was frowned upon.

Still, the Emissary holds her tongue at the disrespect, even as her silence has already spoken volumes. Slumping in her chair she turns her head towards the exit. Away from little Pixie.

[Campanella]

Anima had meant well.

Trouble was, Campanella was not sick. Just forcing down indignation as a trusted ally was thrown - no threw himself - to the wolves. Another twisting knife digging into the still sore wound of his lost leadership position. And the good doctor has simply blundered into the whole mess.

Campanella pauses, all of sudden quite well.

"No. Thank you, magus Anima. I am quite well."

Poor Anima caught a withering state from the Moros.

He breathed a sigh and turned to the other Councillors Pixel Abacus and to Winter

"While I am... disappointed... by this turn of events..." said through gritted teeth.

"I do not see the point in taking the Rite of Nemesis at this time. The punishment magus Winter has recommended will more than satisfy."

Campanella's hand curled into a fist on his lap.

[Phoenyx]

As Phoenyx continues her thoughts, the Libertine speaks. WHAT?

A her hand pauses halfway to her mouth, jaw agape. Under the supervision of the Arrow.

No. No-no-no-no-no-no-no....

Thoughts whirl through her head, and eyes flash angrily. This wasn't just. Why should she, after everything Kaze had put her through, be made his keeper? He wasn't an Arrow any more. He'd made that quite clear.

The packet is returned to a side pocket, focusing on the action, and Phoenyx takes a slow breath to recompose herself. "With respect, Councillor, this is an impractical enforcement. At present the Sacramento chapter of the Adamantine Arrow consists of only myself," she says carefully, if a little tersely. "I cannot be on watch for thirty days without sleep nor respite, unless one or more of the Councillors have agreed to share this duty." One of which has just shown themselves to unworthy of upholding the laws of mage society, but if people forgot what happened five minutes ago? Tough. "Also undertaking this task will also mean that area surrounding the Circle will no longer be patrolled by the Arrow until the sentence is complete. Additionally I will not be available for any urgent conflicts against the Concillium that may arise, as I have been during my time here." And if they wished her to oversee Winter's incarceration as well, longer still. Sure, things were quieter now, but they could soon heat up. Did anyone know she did that? Was there a huge difference between a patrol by a single person and none at all? Did anyone care? It didn't matter. They were her Order's duties, even if no-one had told her to do them. She had told them the gaps in their sentence. "I suggest this task might be better suited to another Order with the numbers to execute the Council's judgement."

Was it the only reason she didn't want to be manacled to Kaze for a month? Of course not. But that was personal, and she would not air her laundry in public. Hell, she barely did it in private.

We serve positions, not people. And right now, no matter how much she was dressing it up in logic, she was trying to serve herself. It was a nagging, annoying thought in the back of her head, which usually meant it was right and raising it's voice of the the burning scar that was her Pride. Maybe she just needed to face this, get it all over with.

But a month without rest was impossible, for her.

Dummies.

Stray - the rooftop scene hasn't entered continuity yet, so Tyche wouldn't know about Kaze and Phoenyx (in the obvious way! ).

[Naga]

Well, wasn't this all terribly fascinating?

It was like joining the audience of a play after intermission. The set-up had been missed, and she could only witness the fallout in the second act. The Théarch didn't yet know these players, and many of the background details were not available to her. Yet she could still read the room and got a pretty good feel for what was happening.

The guilty Guardian requested he be flogged. The grimacing Councilors. The flustered Arrow.

She was piecing together the hows, even if the whys remained unknown.

Why were Shodan and Kaze being punished? She could learn later. Why was Shodan, both a defendant and an accuser, still not here? Very odd.

Why was Winter martyring himself? For that one, Naga had a suspicion, and it looked like the Council just gave him what he wanted. The other Visus didn't appear terribly pleased, however. How could they? He who seemed to be one of their most prominent members just indicted himself as an oathbreaker.

The Ophidian Demon settled back in her seat, folded her hands in her lap, and continued to silently watch.

Terribly. Fascinating.

[Anima]

Anima nods to the former Hierarch, the withering stare ignored, lions do not sleep over the opinions of sheep, returning the handkerchief to his pocket, he is stepping back towards his seat as the Arrow throws her tantrum.

"Kaze was formerly an Arrow, so it is the Arrow that will mind him. He will be traced and warded, we trust your competence to mind him as you see fit during your rounds. The Council will, as always, be ready to assist you in defense of the Consilium. " The Shaman gaze remains on the Arrow for a moment, a mask of sternness, before he turning his attention to Pixel and Abacus.

"We have not had a chance to discuss this, but if the Scions of the Watchtower of the Golden Key wish to have another of their number represent them for the remainder of our meeting, I believe that should be an option available to them. We have one more major piece of business to discuss."

[Tyche]

My bad, I had thought the glancing and stuff began in the last consilium, but after review I was wrong. At any rate it's clear they're at least friendly, but the main thing making Tyche pissed is the snub of the Guardians. Please disregard lines in which Tyche references her relation to Kaze, but as nothing was said in dialogue, I don't feel the need for a rewrite unless called to do so. Thank you for the correction, Xadun !